Matchmaker, Matchmaker
by yamimoukin
Summary: Ginny Weasley is a wildly famous Chaser for the Holyhead Harpies. In spite of the wealth and worldwide recognition that comes with her career, Ginny is miserable and lonely. She hesitantly enlists the help of a professional matchmaking service that takes the idea of a blind date to a whole new level. Draco/Ginny
1. Merlot

I'm kind of excited about this one! It's my first Draco/Ginny story. Please treat me gently! As with all great ideas, this one began under a shower head. I was listening to Taylor Swift's _We Are Never Getting Back Together_ on Pandora when it came to me. Please let me know what you think of it! :)

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter and its characters belong to J. K. Rowling. I only own this idea.

**Chapter 1:** Reckless Abandon

* * *

_Twenty-two, famous, and dreadfully inexperienced._

When push came to shove, this was the only way Ginny could describe herself. She tapped her quill on the parchment impatiently as she thought. Nothing of importance sprang to her mind. Ten minutes later, her mind was as blank as ever. She dropped the quill in irritation and groaned.

Ginny Weasley, in almost all aspects, had done quite well for herself post-war. Her passion for Quidditch landed her a highly coveted Chaser position on the Holyhead Harpies. She was the youngest player on the team, recruited when she was only 19. In her second year on the team, they took the World Cup by storm. Her beauty and skills on the Quidditch field earned her a celebrity status almost immediately after. Despite the fame and wealth which came with her career, Ginny Weasley found herself utterly miserable. Money and fame truly didn't bring happiness.

Her love life was in shambles. By now, she thought she would be married and blissfully happy. Unfortunately, she was still single and unimaginably lonely. After the war, she and Harry had slowly drifted apart. Professional Quidditch was the start of the relationship's downfall. As her skill made her famous, Harry drew away. He understandably shied away from the additional fame, but never failed to push Ginny in her career. He was loving and supportive even though every push for Ginny increased his misery. She wanted to quit the team and put her Quidditch career behind her in favor of marrying Harry and starting a family. He flat out refused to allow it. When Harry was not on Auror duty, Ginny was playing around the world. When she had time off, Harry was off on a mission. With all of the time the couple spent apart, falling out of love was bound to happen. Ginny didn't cry when she dropped a small box of Harry's things at the Grimmauld Place. She didn't cry when _The Daily Prophet_ reported sightings of Harry with unknown witches. She cried solely due to loneliness five months after the breakup.

Now, well over year later, Ginny still found herself utterly alone. She had not done anything outside of Quidditch in years. There wasn't much time for dating when you were a professional athlete, especially when you played for one of the top teams in the league. So now, Ginny stared at a nearly blank application for a matchmaking service. She knew it was crazy and her family would kill her if word got out, but she wanted something different, some excitement in her life. She couldn't _stand_ the loneliness anymore.

The application asked for her general information such as her name, birthday, job, and annual income. It also contained the dreaded _About Me_ section that currently stumped her. She was a twenty-two year old, virgin, professional Quidditch player. She had very few true friends and hardly ever got sloshed. Merely thinking about describing herself in her own words made her feel ill. _Who would want someone as bland and boring as herself?_

She stood, exasperated, and poured herself a glass of wine from a freshly opened bottle. A few sips of the strong, red wine took the heavy burden from her shoulders. She didn't drink often, because it wasn't good for her or her game. She had the following weekend off and thought this glass was well deserved.

* * *

Ginny giggled, pouring the last drop of the Merlot into her glass. Her eyesight was fuzzy and her brain failed to control the rest of her body on multiple occasions, all of which she found utterly delightful. She spied the quill, ink, and unfinished application abandoned at the far end of her table. Wobbling as she stood, she went to the parchment and plopped down in front of it. Several drops of her wine splattered fell onto the floor.

"I'll just paint myself a pretty picture!" She switched the glass to her left hand and picked up the quill with her right.

She began to write a lengthy, colorful autobiography. She wrote with reckless abandon. If she told lies, she didn't know or care. Her quill moved so quickly that it nearly set fire to the parchment. When finished, she held the parchment in front of her, but couldn't very well read her own words on account of the drunken stupor. Instead of leaving the parchment on the table to be laughed at and thrown away in the morning, Ginny folded it up and shoved it in an envelope as she finished the very last drop of wine. Abandoning her empty glass, she called her tawny owl and tied the envelope to his leg.

"To the _Caspian Matchmakers _with you," She said with a grand gesture, throwing the window upon.

She stumbled into bed in a fit of giggles, the letter forgotten.

* * *

Ginny awoke to a heavily fogged and muddled mind. She sat up and instantly succumbed to a skull splitting headache. She kneaded her temples as the fog slowly began to dissipate. Her head ached so badly that she was unable to stand without losing her balance. Memories trickled back into her conscious thought. Emptying the bottle of wine in a fit of giggles and – the application. Ginny forced herself up and out of the room. Ignoring the physical consequences of the previous night's drunkenness for a few moments, she made her way into the dining room. The quill and ink were both still lying on the table. The application, unfortunately, was long gone. She clenched her stomach and ran to the bathroom.

She wrenched her guts up for hours, weeping in between bouts of sickness. She wondered what was on the application and what the matchmakers would think when they read it. She pictured the Caspian sisters laughing hysterically, passing the application around the office. Her pride was severely wounded. She wept harder. By nightfall, the wine's karma dissipated and she peeled her arms from around the toilet. Upon entering her dining room, she saw a sky blue letter staring at her on the table.

She fingered the letter, turning it over slowly. The perfect, gold ink said that the letter was from _Caspian Matchmaking_. Ginny nearly hurled again. She felt utterly stupid and helpless. Surely the famed matchmaking sisters would take pity on her. May be this was a kindhearted rejection. Unable to resist temptation a second longer, she tore at the envelope and removed the letter.

_Ms. Weasley, _

_We would like to thank you for your interest in_ _our matchmaking services_._ As Holyhead Harpy fans ourselves, we would be overjoyed to have a player of your caliber as our client. Due to your celebrity status, we would like to extend a special offer to you in person. Your privacy will be our utmost priority. Complete and utter secrecy will be guaranteed. We will clear our schedule whenever you wish to make an appointment. Your reply will be eagerly awaited. _

_Sincerely,_

_Thelma and Persephone Caspian_

Ginny read the letter three times before she allowed herself to believe it. It was handwritten by the sisters as opposed to scribbled with a charmed quill. She could tell by the distinctively female, fluid cursive. A letter written by a charmed quill was straight, consistent, and unisex. The sisters even offered to clear their schedule just for her. It was clear that they would do anything to have her as a client. Success with a celebrity client would bring a great deal of business to them. She wondered if, perhaps, the drunkenly written application wasn't so bad. Ginny ran a hand through her long red hair. She wondered if they would understand that she was a little sloshed when she wrote the application. Then again, they probably didn't care if she wrote that her last boyfriend was a hippogriff.

She wrote back hesitantly and asked for a meeting the following day at 1:00 pm. She laughed at herself and shook her head as she scribbled. It was so unlike her to do something like this. Perhaps getting out of her confining comfort zone would loosen her up. Ginny was tired of being a stick in the mud. She highly doubted that any long-term results would come from a matchmaking service. Things like that just didn't happen in real life. Right?

* * *

Ginny had been standing in the fireplace for 10 minutes now. She well on her way to being late for her meeting with the matchmakers. Her hand was full of floo powder, but it wasn't cooperating. She tried yelling at it which, of course, failed miserably. A mix of embarrassment, nerves, and excitement made her feel as if she ate a bowl of butterflies for lunch. And to top it off, her limbs were apparently on strike. Ginny took in a deep breath, giving herself an internal pep talk, and finally threw the powder.

"Caspian Matchmakers!"

She disappeared into green flames and reappeared in a daintily decorated, black and white waiting room. Ginny stepped out of the fireplace, ducking to avoid the ledge. The room appeared to have never been used, which she found odd due to the amount of people talking about it. She walked carefully, as if she were in a fine china shop, to the receptionist's desk. The desk was empty, so she rang the bell.

She sat in the black, pinstriped chair slowly, as if regularly sitting down would bring chaos. Her back was straight as an arrow and her hands lay in her lap because she didn't know what else to do with them. She contemplated leaving and never coming back, when hushed whispers turned her attention to the door. The whispers were incoherent and lasted only a minute or two before two women walked into the room.

Bright, genuine smiles graced their lovely faces. One sister was noticeably taller than the other with long, mousey brown hair lightly curled at the ends and an angular face. She was dressed in dark turquoise robes. She shared the same angular face with her sister, but her hair was short and jet black. Her bangs were pinned out of her face, giving her a more youthful appearance. Her robes were a rich amethyst. They giggled and exchanged an excited expression before turning back to Ginny.

"Ms. Weasley?" The brown haired woman asked even though she obviously recognized the famed Chaser.

Ginny stood, a bit shaky, and strolled up to the pair. She shook hands with the pair, who smiled warmly in return.

"Please, call me Ginny," She insisted.

"I'm Thelma," The shorter sister's voice was a bit squeaky, "And this Is Persephone."

"We are so very pleased to meet you. Come in, come in." Persephone ushered her in, "Would you care for a spot of tea?"

Ginny nodded. She would have taken anything to drown the butterflies. They still fluttered in her belly even though the Caspian sisters were warmer and kinder than she expected. They ushered her into a light pink meeting room. Ginny sat across from the sisters at a gorgeous, hand carved mahogany table. Ginny estimated that it must have cost them a small fortune. Thelma snapped and a stiff house elf appeared, wrapped in a light blue, satin pillowcase.

"Yes, madam," The elf spoke slowly with the tone of an elderly woman, even though she was far from geriatric herself.

"Tea for the party, please!" Persephone piped up.

With a curt nod, the house elf vanished. Two pairs of dark blue eyes now fell on Ginny. Her stomach churned. If there were ever a moment to laugh at the absurdity of her application, it would be now.

* * *

Feel free to tell me what you think and what you would like to see happen. I always PM with a reply! Please review! The more reviews I get, the more likely I will be to continue! Love y'all!


	2. The Contract

I've gotten so many awesome reviews on this story! Thank you all for reading and reviewing! I'm so amazed that it was received so well. I expected everyone to think it was a silly idea. I wanted to try my hand at a rom-com story, of sorts.

I promise that Ginny will meet some boys in the next chapter! And this story will _definitely_ have a juicy lemon scene! It's going to be a very important part of the story. I can't promise that it will be within the next two chapters, but it will happen!

**Disclaimer:** J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter, not me!

**Chapter 2:** The Contract

* * *

"She's a much more attractive bird than I pictured her to be off field. I expected a bit of a moose," Persephone spoke loudly and without inhibition, making Ginny think that she was a few bristles short of a broomstick.

Thelma's cold eyes took longer to judge Ginny than her sister's. She seemed to analyze every aspect of her. Ginny suddenly wished she had Harry's invisibility cloak. She hated scrutiny.

"I have to agree," Thelma spoke slowly, "She's quite a lady."

The Caspian sisters continued to chatter about her appearance. They were speaking as if she weren't sitting right in front of them. The redhead felt like a thoroughbred Abraxan being judged in a show. Ginny couldn't help but frown a bit at the scrutiny, but at least they were impressed by her appearance. She wondered what she must look like while playing to make them think she would be _a bit of a _moose. Furthermore, she wondered what kind of female Quidditch players the sisters encountered in the past. She thought the manly or unattractive female athlete was a bit of a stereotype. If a woman had athletic talent she _couldn't _be very attractive. Even though she didn't consider herself to be very appealing, an overwhelming majority of her teammates were knockouts on and off the field. As usual, the stereotype was persistent.

The house elf, whose name Ginny didn't know, appeared and left tea on the table. Thelma dismissed her with a lazy hand wave.

"Your school sweetheart was Harry Potter, wasn't it?" Ginny was starting the get the idea that Persephone had no filter.

Persephone's smile was wide and her eyes were a bit vacant. It was obvious that she couldn't fathom that _any _subject might be off limits. Thelma eyed her older sister, irritation plainly written on her face.

"Um-yeah, he was," Ginny blushed a little and averted her eyes.

Harry Potter was a subject she was not willing speak of in detail.

"All we need to know is how and when the relationship ended, if it was your last," Thelma returned her eyes to Ginny, "Good or bad terms?"

Ginny swallowed.

"Yeah, it was my last relationship. It was a mutual decision and well over a year ago," Ginny had no desire to give details.

Thelma's black feathered quill scratched on the parchment in front of her. Ginny did not try to read the raven haired witch's notes; she instead pushed her curiosity down and sat on it. She struggled to keep it from taking over. The air was thick with awkward silence. Persephone swayed to an unheard tune, eyes counting marks on the ceiling. She was obviously straining to keep quiet after the glare she received from her sister.

"So, tell me the qualities you find attractive in a man," Thelma kept her quill and eyes to the parchment.

"Honesty and loyalty, most of all," Ginny listed the most important first, then was forced to think hard about the others, "I like a man with a bit of mystery, not someone who tosses everything out in the open at once. He can't be too serious, though. He has to be somewhat charming and have a good sense of humor. I love a bloke who can make me laugh."

"Me too!" Persephone piped in eagerly, unable to hold her tongue any longer, "What about dislikes?"

Ginny pursed her lips. She thought very hard about this. What did she dislike about Harry?

"Career types. I like a hardworking man, but I need someone who isn't always away like me. Does that make sense?" She asked.

Thelma nodded, "Continue."

"I can't put up with a timid bloke. It's my job to be coy. He has to be sociable. I want a man who knows who he is and what he wants out of life," Ginny hoped she didn't sound completely contradictory.

Ginny caught Persephone and Thelma exchange a look. Each woman's face was knowing and firm. The expression didn't fit Persephone's personality. They seemed to be communicating telepathically, as they stared at one another for several lengthy minutes. Thelma was suddenly scribbling again. She wrote something in the margin of the page and circled it. Ginny wrestled with her curiosity, which had now turned into a wild, bucking beast.

"As our first celebrity client, we have a special proposition for you, as mentioned in the letter," Thelma's eyes bored into Ginny's, "Our services will be completely free of charge if you agree to be a celebrity spokesperson after you are married."

Ginny's eyes grew wide. She could only stare at the sisters, and wait for Persephone to burst into laughter and declare that they were only kidding. After several moments of impatiently waiting, she realized that they were completely genuine in the offer. She thought about her drunken letter again. She wondered if she had written with marriage on the mind.

"Wait. What do you mean, after I am married?"

"Well after we find your future husband, silly!" Persephone's confident and bright smile lit up the room once again.

Then it hit her .The matchmakers weren't just planning to find her a couple of dates. The sisters were so confident in their matchmaking abilities that they were going to guarantee not just a match, but marriage. The thought overwhelmed her. Her mind raced and her heart pounded wildly in her chest. She imagined her wedding, which she hadn't done in over a year, complete with a faceless groom. It seemed not only highly unlikely, but impossible. For all the sisters knew, they could go unpaid for years.

"Look at her face!" Persephone pointed, mouth wide open, and laughed, "We wouldn't force you to marry someone or anything."

"There will be no pressure whatsoever. If you go through 100 blokes in five years, then so be it." Thelma chimed in.

"And what would I have to do as a spokesperson?"

"As a spokesperson for _Caspian Matchmakers_, you would be obligated to speak on the business's behalf and allow us to feature your image and the success of your marriage," Thelma replied formally, "A contract would be involved. You would be contractually obligated to three years of service after marriage."

Persephone looked as if she were about to burst. There was something of great importance waiting to bypass her brain and fling itself right out of her mouth. She had been biting her lip so hard that it was blood red. She wiggled and wobbled in her chair like a small, slightly insane, child.

"And we would feature your wedding pictures _everywhere_!" She jumped up, gestured to the entirety of the room, and sighed happily.

Thelma rolled her eyes at the display. Ginny on the other hand was an internal wreck. _Her wedding? Pictures? _ The thought of being suddenly being married terrified her. She hadn't even met a bloke yet. She worried that if her heart rate increased any more, she would drop dead. But at the same time, she was extraordinarily excited. The sisters would guarantee her a line of eligible and prescreened men until the right one came along. And they were so certain of their matchmaking skills that the whole situation would be pressure free. It _was_ enthralling and oh so tempting.

"No pressure on me to rush and marry? Even if it takes five years?" She would refuse to marry someone she didn't love even if it put her in Azkaban.

Both women shook their heads, Persephone a little more enthusiastically.

"That will be in your contract," Thelma assured her.

"And if by some miracle you find a bloke I can fall head over heels for, appearances won't get in the way of my job and my life?" Ginny tried not to sound unappreciative of the services they had not yet provided.

Again, their heads shook.

"More than anything, we would like to have a well-recognized client that is happily married," Thelma was monotone and dead serious.

"We don't expect you to let us tattoo _Caspian Matchmakers_ on your first born or advertise on the back of your Quidditch robes," Persephone laughed animatedly, "It's mostly for photos and a few happily married interviews."

This was a win/win situation. She was still on the verge of a heart attack, but her gut told her to go for it. Her gut had never been wrong before.

"I'll do it." She said impulsively.

Persephone jumped up and clapped excitedly. Thelma stared at her sister and forced her to sit down and behave. Persephone frowned and rolled her eyes at her more serious counterpart. It was hard to believe that Thelma was the younger sister. Ginny wanted to ask their ages, but _she_ actually had a filter.

"Splendid," With a flick of the wand the contract appeared in front of them.

Thelma explained each section thoroughly. There was even a lengthy section devoted to privacy. The sisters took magical oaths of silence as to Ginny's identity, meaning that they were unable to speak to anyone outside of their office about her involvement until the contract was fulfilled. It also detailed measures taken in regards to paperwork and the business to ensure her privacy. Ginny was satisfied knowing that being a client of _Caspian Matchmakers_ wouldn't land her on the front page of _The Daily Prophet_. She was feeling less nervous about her impulse decision.

The only thing that bothered her now was Persephone's involvement. She was rash and socially awkward. Ginny took solace in the fact that Thelma appeared to control her sister and take care of the important aspects of her matchmaking. Persephone seemed uninterested in the important things like the privacy clause, when she yawned animatedly. Ginny didn't really understand Persephone's importance in the process.

She signed and initialed several pages with a charmed Contract Quill, which forced the signers of a document to fully comply with an agreement. Thelma followed and finally passed the papers to Persephone to sign.

"So when will you start looking for my future bloke?" Ginny directed the question to Thelma.

The short haired witch laughed coldly. Ginny was taken back. She repeated her words in her mind and found nothing funny about the statement. She questioned whether both of these witches were off their rockers.

"My part in the business is accounting, legal, and press. The matchmaking is Persephone's passion."

Now Ginny saw why she laughed. Thelma was too severe and stoic to possibly care about emotional matters such as love. Only, the situation wasn't funny. It wasn't funny at all. Persephone looked up from the contract and grinned as if she were a few players short of a Quidditch match. Ginny could have thrown up.

"We have this fantastic new scenario that you would be _perfect_ for," Persephone put her hands in front of her to gesture how perfect Ginny would be, "Blind speed dating."

Ginny hesitated. If Persephone thought she was going to blindfold Ginny and throw her on several quick dates, she was surely mistaken. The redhead didn't like the idea at all and her expression broadcasted distaste.

"Hear me out before you shoot it down. Males and females meet separately and take a specially brewed, gender specific potion."

"What does it do?" Ginny was even less interested than before.

"I'm getting there," She chastised Ginny for interrupting with a finger wag, "The potion prevents the eyes of one gender from processing the appearance of the other. You'll be able to see everything but men who've taken the potion. I've tested the potion myself. When looking at a male who has taken the counter-potion, all you a bright light in the shape of a person. It reminds me of a long-lasting _Lumos Maxima_ shined directly in your eyes."

"How am I going to pick a bloke when I can't see him?" Ginny couldn't fathom such nonsense.

"Who is the expert here?" Persephone's eyes searched around the room as if she were really looking for the expert, "Oh it's me!"

Thelma shook her head slightly and chuckled.

"Despite the fact that she's as mad at as a hatter most days, she's quite good at her job. We haven't had a single client leave unattached," Thelma assured her.

The level headed witch's testimony on behalf of her sister soothed Ginny. They wouldn't be in business if both sisters weren't good at what they do. She still didn't like the idea of dating someone she couldn't see, but she signed up for the matchmaking service for a reason. Agreeing to date completely blind to appearances wouldn't be just stepping out of her comfort zone; she would be leaping out of it.

* * *

Did you notice my variations on "A few fries short of a happy meal"? I'm kind of proud of them. Only because it took a ridiculously long time to think them up. Can you guys think of some more Harry Potter variations of "not all there" for future reference? I feel like Persephone might need more than two.

Let me know what you think in a review. Feel free to ask questions. I will either respond via PM or above the story. Please, please review! It's the reason why I'm updating so quickly! It fuels my creative imagination!


	3. Blind

I loved the reviews so much! Thank y'all! I wrote down all of your ideas and will probably use some of them in later chapters when Persephone needs to be a little nuts. :) I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's been one of my favorites to write!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Harry Potter. Yes I know. So sad.

**Chapter 3: Blind **

* * *

Ginny stood in the back room of a pub in high, black heels with nine other well dressed women. She wore a black, sequined dress which hugged her body and stopped right above her knee. Her long, flamboyantly red hair tumbled down and was lightly curled. The only makeup she wore was a bit of black eyeliner lining her eyes. All of this was for ten men who wouldn't be able to appreciate her hard work. All they could do was hear her voice and, perhaps, smell her perfume.

Persephone irritated Ginny by forcing a dress code. She could show up in footie pajamas with three day old, dirty hair, and no one but the other women would know. Persephone then insisted that the men would be just as handsomely dressed. The lack of logic in Persephone's response infuriated Ginny even more. However, none of the other women appeared to care that their male counterparts would be blind to their appearance. Each woman was much more concerned with comparing her own beauty to that of the other nine women in the room. Ginny wanted to beat some sense into them with a Bludger bat.

She tried to ignore the scrutinizing stares. It was hard because Ginny felt least confident in a dress. Her body was hard and muscular from the vigorous physical activity her job demanded. She felt like she had very little natural curve and often felt more manly than anything. Even though she was assured many times over that she didn't have the slightest resemblance to a man, she continued believed it. She took solace in the fact that she could beat every last woman here, and some of the men, in a muggle fist fight.

Thelma entered the small room in emerald green robes, looking as severe as ever. She began by asking for the ladies to take an Oath of Secrecy and did not offer an explanation as to why. After the oath, which alluded to keeping identities secret, the women instantly began to chatter about which of them might be a celebrity. It obviously didn't take a genius to figure Thelma's motives out. Fortunately for Ginny, she was only approached by one woman who recognized her. She quietly gushed and shook Ginny's hand in excitement. Ginny thanked her for being discrete. Moments later, Thelma assured that each woman drank the entirety of her potion before exiting hastily. It was pink, almost as thin as water, and tasted like brown sugar.

"Alright ladies!" Persephone entered the room, flustered by excitement, "You remember the rules? Do not tell a bloke your name or any other sort of personal information that might give away your identity. If you _do_ reveal your identity purposefully, you'll be removed from our services and banned for life. You must refer to each other only by number. You're here to find a compatible personality, so no cheating!"

Persephone skipped away, leading them into the empty, dimly lit pub. Candles lit ten small tables for two. Each girl was assigned a table. The women would remain seated while the men rotated. Ginny sat uncomfortably at table six. She crossed her legs and tapped her heel on the stone floor nervously. In many ways, she was glad that the men wouldn't be able to see her. She was sure she looked like a nervous wreck. The ladies were offered alcoholic beverages, no doubt to ease these nerves. Ginny was the only woman who refused - for obvious reasons.

The men entered. Ginny couldn't believe that the potion worked. She chastised herself for doubting the sisters. The redhead wanted to rub her eyes, but remembered the eyeliner. Each man was a fuzzy ball of light shaped like a person. These human shaped lights were of varying heights, but weight was indeterminable. Ginny immediately wrote off number eight, who was barely above five feet tall. She didn't like short men.

Number six sat down in front of her. He greeted her when time was started.

"I would usually start off with a compliment, but I can't compliment what I can't see!" His laugh after the joke was deep and hearty.

Ginny faked a laugh. When she said she liked funny men, she meant_ actually_ funny.

Number six was dreadfully boring. He obviously worked at Gringotts and slaved for more hours than what was good for his health. He talked incessantly and did not give Ginny a chance to say more than three words about herself. His voice was boisterous and obnoxious. When his ten minutes were up, she instantly crossed him off of her mental list.

Number seven sat down and paraphrased number six's first statement. Ginny faked a laugh once again and sighed inwardly. This was going to be a long night.

Number seven allowed her to speak more than number six. When she mentioned that her job was Quidditch related, he promptly advised her of his hatred of the Holyhead Harpies. The rest of the ten minute date was spent arguing over Quidditch. He seemed to have a grudge against her team because it was entirely female. Apparently, a _proper_ woman wasn't supposed to play sports. As soon as he stood, she thanked Merlin audibly and labeled him a horrific bigot. She crossed him off of her mental list as well.

Number eight, with height already against him, spoke the same reworded first line as the others. Ginny began to wonder if all ten blokes rehearsed the line in their room. He earned two crosses through his number on her list.

Number nine, ten, and one were agreeable, but not easily remembered. They all started with the same rephrased, cheesy line. Ginny was bored to pieces with all three of them. They were crossed off. When she realized that she had rejected over half of the men in the room, she sighed deeply. With offseason practice to begin early the next morning, she just wanted this night to be over.

Number two put down a glass of wine as he sat.

"Do you realize you're the only woman without a drink?" He asked in an amused tone.

"With all the fun in this room, if I started drinking I wouldn't be able to stop," Ginny deadpanned.

He laughed genuinely. Something about his laugh made her smile. He received points for not opening their date with the same line as the other six. He was officially the only man in the room with a score above zero. Number six and eight were in the negatives.

"I can put a check by sarcasm. It's one of my _non-negotiables_," He informed her while chuckling, "So tell me a little about yourself."

"I'm twenty two, outgoing, _obviously_ hilarious, and my I work in a Quidditch related field." Ginny replied, "I graduated from Hogwarts in 2000."

"What house?" He responded quickly, making it obvious he attended Hogwarts as well.

"Look at you! Already trying to figure out who I am. Shame! Weren't you read the rules?" She jokingly chastised him, "What year did you graduate?"

He was amused, "You're quite a bit shrewder than the other ladies here," He noted in an amused tone, "1999. Don't you dare ask my house."

His warning was merely a challenge to Ginny. The date became a game. She was going to find out his house _without_ asking. If she threw out the name of any house, she could gage his reaction to it. This probably wouldn't work on a Hufflepuff because they had no strong rivalries. A Ravenclaw might be too intelligent to audibly react. Gryffindor and Slytherin had the most notable rivalry to exploit in this situation. She wouldn't be able to help a scoff if someone accused her of being in Slytherin. She was going to take a stab in the dark.

"I don't have to. It's Gryffindor," Ginny feigned confidence.

He huffed loudly in disgust. Ginny smiled. Damn, she was bloody good.

"Ah, so Slytherin," She said carefully and calmly to not give away her Gryffindor prejudice against Slytherin.

"I cannot confirm nor deny this, but I can say that cleverness accompanies sarcasm on my list of _non-negotiables_," He confirmed without stating it explicitly.

She was glad that he couldn't see her face because her cheeks blushed furiously. She didn't know how to feel about this Slytherin. She never thought she would say that a snake's personality was agreeable, much less charming. Then again, she would take a Slytherin over the antifeminist bigot any day. Ginny now attempted to remember of the students in Slytherin the year before her.

"By the silence, I assume you're attempting to deduce my identity," He calmly stated.

Ginny wondered if he was reading her mind.

"You haven't told me anything about yourself yet," She reminded, steering him away from the previous conversation.

"Ah yes. I'm twenty three, _devastatingly_ attractive, _incomparably_ witty, and I run a small business," His tone of voice was conceited, yet his adverbs were laced with sarcasm.

He sipped a bit of wine after he spoke.

"Your ego is smothering," She commented and remembered the bit of information she found most amusing, "Devastatingly attractive, you say?"

"Is that the _only_ thing you took from my monologue?" He faked a disgusted scoff, "Well, we know what _you're_ here for."

They laughed together now. Ginny loved this witty banter. He might be an arrogant Slytherin, but he was a _damn charming,_ arrogant Slytherin. This mysterious game of "Guess who?" was a lot more fun when your opponent wasn't a total prick.

"It's the only thing I neglected to mention," She dawdled, "Aren't you curious about _my_ looks?"

"No, all of the Gryffindors in your year were fairly attractive. I'm not all about looks like yourself, though," He mocked, but gloated in correctly guessing her house.

Ginny pursed her lips. She briefly wondered what gave her away. Damn his cleverness. It was _very_ alluring, though. She always found a bit of brains to be attractive in a bloke.

"That's why I come on these blind dates. That where _all_ the fit blokes are," She deadpanned and added an eye roll, even though he couldn't see it.

The Slytherin took another sip of his wine. His bright form leaned in to the center of the table and waited. Ginny figured that he wanted her to follow suit. She leaned in and he leaned further. He smelled like a tantalizing mix of fresh melons, musk, and sandalwood; it was reminiscent of the sea. She could feel his hot breath on her cheek. It sent a shiver of delight down her spine.

"I'd bet my last galleon that you're the most beautiful woman in this room," He whispered.

"I'm sure you've charmed the trousers off of all the ladies here with that line," Ginny sat back now, a blush creeping up her cheeks.

He huffed haughtily and sat back as well.

"So far, I've met a bunch of conceited, exceedingly stupid women. Do you know I very nearly figured out all of their identities just from conversation?"

Ginny couldn't help but be impressed. His line of questioning was clever. Her suspicious nature was what eluded him.

"So you know who I am?" She wondered.

"You don't fall in the same category. Do you think I'm flattering all the other women like I'm flattering you?"

"Time!" Persephone called enthusiastically.

The Slytherin stood and leaned over the table to her. She went rigid as his cold fingers grasped hers. He pressed his warm, soft lips to the back of her hand and drew his face away. His hand remained in hers and she looked up at the white light that would be his face. She found herself desperately wishing it was visible. With a gentle squeeze, he let her hand go and moved on.

The final three men went by in a blur. Ginny didn't care about anyone but number two, the Slytherin. She found herself daydreaming as the boring men talked about their boring lives. She wondered who he was over and over again. She tried to think of all the Slytherins in her brother's year. The Slytherin was careful not to give away too many clues after she figured out his house. This once simple blind date had turned into a huge mystery that desperately needed solving. At the end of the final date, she looked at her left hand which still tingled from his touch.

"You can return to your original rooms and pick up the form with your number on it. You will select the man or woman you preferred and write down his or her number on the form. If you select each other, you will be owled for a private date." Thelma's monotone voice spoke clearly.

Ginny made her way back to the room. She was glad that this was all over.

"Did you like anyone?" The witch who recognized her earlier appeared next to her as they waited to pick up a form.

"Actually, I did. Number two," Ginny said happily.

The woman frowned, "Really? He was a pompous arse to me."

"Oh, I thought he was rather charming," Ginny mumbled.

The woman's negative opinion of the Slytherin , oddly enough, made her very happy. It meant that maybe, just maybe, he hadn't been as full of it as she thought. She hesitated momentarily, but wrote number two on the form. She couldn't deny the connection.

The top of her hand tingled until she fell asleep that night.

* * *

I hope you guys liked it! I've been editing this first meeting for forever. I just wanted it to be absolutely perfect!

For reference: The mysterious Slytherin smells like Acqua Di Gio by Georgio Armani, but I figured, as a pureblood, he wouldn't buy muggle products. I just decided to research the scent a bit and describe it. If you've ever smelled it, it's freaking sexy. That's all I've got to say. Lol

I enjoyed everyone's reviews from the last chapter SO much! I have another question for you guys. It may or may not have something to do with a future chapter, so give your opinions in a review! _Would you kiss on the first date?_

Thanks for reading guys! Please review!


	4. Heist

You guys keep giving me the loveliest reviews! Thank you! I'm so inspired to write this story that I can't even sleep at night! Seriously. I think about it all night long. My husband says, "UGH, GO TO SLEEP." :D

I know all of you were expecting the first date. I'm sorry to disappoint! This strictly an informational/background chapter. I wanted to make the story and characters more authentic. This chapter is going to tell you why Ginny is famous, introduce you to her teammates, and elaborate a bit on her body issues. An overwhelming majority of you answered the last question with a _yes_! Thanks helping me out!

**Disclaimer: ** I don't own J.K. Rowling's masterpiece. I'm the master puppeteer behind all of her characters in this story though! Muhaaaa

**Chapter 4: Heist**

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Ginny was awoken early the next morning by the bell on her alarm clock. She groggily tumbled out of bed and into the bathroom. She stared at her reflection in the mirror until her foggy, sleep induced vision cleared. Her hair was a tangled, red mess and she wore an oversized Holyhead Harpies t-shirt. She splashed cold water from the faucet on her face in an effort to increase her alertness. She brushed and tied back her hair for morning practice.

In the kitchen, she fixed a mug of tea with two slices of toast between her teeth. A dining room chair dragged against the floor, and she plopped into it for a quick breakfast. Several sharp taps against the kitchen window forced her to put down the toast and check the time. 5:25 A. M. She sighed in irritation and stood. It was too early for letters.

An elegant, gold and white barn owl perched on her kitchen windowsill with a sky blue envelope in its beak. A knot formed in her stomach and she opened the window. The owl dropped the letter in her hand and flew into the room, perching on the back of a chair at the far end of her table. Ginny ignored the bird and shredded the envelope in an effort to retrieve the prize inside.

_Ms. Weasley,_

_Congratulations! You've made a match! _

_At your earliest convenience, we would like to set up an appointment at our office. Please return an acceptable time and date for our meeting with Eros. We will coordinate your next date at this meeting._

_Sincerely,_

_Thelma and Persephone_

Ginny placed the letter on the table and let out a sigh of relief. He wasn't a charming liar after all. Her heart fluttered with excitement. She couldn't wait to finally see his face. She had to know him. Very few Slytherins in his year made it back to Hogwarts after the war. Most of their parents fought on the losing side and were either sent to Azkaban or forced to flee the country. On a slightly depressing note, some of the Slytherins fought on the wrong side themselves and were, for one reason or another, cleared to return to school. Ginny sincerely hoped that she wouldn't be looking into the eyes of a former Death Eater on her date. Such a revelation would definitely bring about a negative reaction. She violently shook the thought from her head. He was definitely too pleasant to be a former Death Eater. After all, he chose her knowing that she was a Gryffindor. A truly evil Slytherin wouldn't be able to get past such a rivalry. _That said something about his character, right?_

Ginny didn't have time to sit idly and ponder the identity of number two. A clear head was needed for the start of offseason practice. She pushed the Slytherin from her mind after writing for an appointment at 4:00 p.m. that afternoon. She threw on practice attire and apparated to the Holyhead Harpies' locker room. Before she could gather her disoriented mind caused by apparition, someone squealed and wrapped their arms around her tightly.

"GIN!" The high pitched shriek could only belong to her fellow Chaser and Gryffindor, Angelina Johnson.

"Blimey, Angie. You just saw me last week," Ginny peeled her friend off, laughing.

"I'm just happy that we are about to start another season!" Her excitement about the new season was infectious, "Put on your gear, Weasley. We're about to train to _destroy_!"

Ginny smiled widely at her friend. The Harpies ended their season 4th in the league. It was bittersweet. Of course, they all wanted to win two Quidditch Cups in a row, but the first win came with a lot of added pressure. It ended up being the team's downfall. After their first win, the team skyrocketed to instant fame. The Chasers were at the receiving end of the majority of the attention. Ginevra "Ginny" Weasley, Angelina "Angie" Johnson, and Gwendolyn "Gwen" Fleuters became household names due to their ingenious offensive strategies and fierce defensive maneuvers. They might be a team of fair maidens, but they knew how to make a grown man weep like an infant.

Their fans affectionately named each of the Chasers' formations and maneuvers, when the players only referred to them by number off field and hand gesture on field. An example was the _Harpy Heist_, a product of Angelina's mind. It required two Chasers to distract the opposing Chaser in possession of the Quaffle. The third Chaser flies up from below to steal the ball or, at the very least, slap it from their grasp. It was difficult, dangerous, and didn't always succeed. The fan favorite wasn't exactly a move, but an overall emotion. Ginny's temper was known to flare when a foul went unnoticed by the referee, even when the foul was committed against a teammate. She bellowed profanities and became physical, toeing the line for fouls. Eventually, the rage was absorbed by her teammates, who played more and more aggressively until the end of the game. The fans took to chanting _Hell Hath No Fury like_ _"insert player's last name"_. More often than not, the inserted name was Weasley.

They practiced hard the first day. Ginny wouldn't have expected anything less from their Captain and Seeker, Bridgette Gaspar. She wasn't an extremely talented Seeker, but her leadership skills made up for it tenfold. She knew exactly how to motivate each player and always had an inspirational speech for any occasion. Despite the fact that she worked the entire team to the brink of death on regularly, everyone adored her. Bridgette ended practice at 2:00 p.m. after giving a speech regarding easing the pressure this season.

The girls hit the showers directly after practice. Ginny threw off her smelly, grass stained practice clothes and underwear immodestly, and she jumped into the shower. It was an all-girls team whose players hadn't changed for some time now. Needless to say, they were used to the nudity. After practice, unless two players had a row, teammates turned into girlfriends.

"Guess who has a smoking hot date tonight?" Angelina sung loudly in the shower.

"Aw, did you break up with George?" Ginny teased and the rest of the girls burst into a fit of laughter.

Angelina grunted loudly, as if she were offended. George and Angelina had been dating for over a year. Ginny fully expected Angelina to become her sister-in-law any day now.

"Get stuffed, Weasley!" Angelina shouted loudly.

"You'll probably _get stuffed_ by another Weasley tonight!" One of the beaters, Gertrude Bing, had a knack for perversion.

"Merlin, you're disgusting!" Ginny hissed, refusing to think of her brother that way.

"You better not get pregnant, Johnson," The ordinarily serious Bridgette yelled.

"AH!" Ginny covered her ears now as the women continued to taunt both of them.

Ginny stepped out of the shower after washing away the grime and grabbed a towel from the rack to dry off. Angelina reached above her two seconds later.

"So you're still enjoying the single life?" Her dark skinned friend asked, drying her body and hair.

Ginny shrugged.

"It's a pain," She spoke honestly, neglecting to mention her use of a matchmaking service.

"If I had your looks and body, I'd have four boyfriends," Angelina commented enviously.

Someone still in the shower made a perverted joke, but Ginny chose to ignore it. She was too stunned by her friend's jealousy to speak. Angelina was tall, toned, elegant, and had perfectly flawless mocha skin. Despite heavy Quidditch training, she retained a feminine figure. She could throw on a pair of heels and own a room. Ginny felt like she should be the one jealous. She was petite, pale with freckles, and muscular. Her body was straight as an arrow and every muscle was defined by athletic training. She desperately wished for Angelina's soft, feminine curves.

"You're sick," Ginny laughed, playing off her envy, "I'd murder Fleuters here for your boobs."

Fleuters, who was just stepping out of the shower, gasped animatedly and frowned as if she were deeply offended. The team now began picking body parts off of one another that they envied. Ginny had to admit that it was a nice redirection on her part. She put on clean undergarments, a pair of jeans, and a Harpies t-shirt. She dried her hair with her wand and tamed it, then sprayed a bit of perfume on the t-shirt in case the scalding shower didn't do its job. The Caspian sisters had been informed that she would be meeting them after practice, and she hoped they wouldn't expect a beauty queen.

She checked her watch. 3:15 p.m. She had plenty of time to check in with the Harpies' Healer, something the entire team had to do at least once a week. The green and gold locker room let out to a hallway lined with Holyhead Harpies memorabilia. There were many portraits of Ginny's idol, Gwenog Jones, flying with unopposed determination. She entered the Infirmary and found the balding Healer sitting at his desk, writing on a piece of parchment. Healer Bradbury looked up at her through his square spectacles and smiled genuinely.

"I just need a quick diagnostic," She told the Healer.

He nodded and stood, removing his wand from his robes.

"Has your shoulder been bothering you?" The Healer asked while performing the necessary diagnostic spells.

A fall in her second game with the Harpies shattered her shoulder. It was easily repaired, but still gave her problems. If she overexerted herself, the pain was excruciating. It actually bothered her if she slept on it wrong as well, but Ginny wasn't one to complain.

"Not really, but I'll let you know if it does again," She lied.

"No you won't," He chuckled and finished the diagnostic spells, "Everything is fine. "

Healer Bradbury moved to his desk and pulled her file. His quill scratched a few notes inside. It was quickly closed and returned to his drawer.

"Thank you. Have a great afternoon!" She waved goodbye.

She apparated to _Caspian Matchmakers_ right on time. Persephone awaited her in the waiting room. She jumped up, delighted to see Ginny. She wore a set of beautiful lavender robes, ornately stitched with gold on the hems.

"Excuse my attire. Thought I made a good enough impression on the first meeting and the date," Ginny halfheartedly laughed.

Persephone nodded enthusiastically, a bit more violently than was necessary.

"You looked impeccable on the blind date," Persephone beckoned her to follow.

"Where is your sister?" Ginny asked.

"Setting up for another round of blind dates!" The witch sung her words, lingering on date for a few moments.

Ginny was reminded of illogically dressing up for a blind date. She rolled her eyes. It wasn't very funny then, but now she could see the humor in it. They, once again, sat in the pink room. This time, Persephone made it her business to sit as close to Ginny as humanly possible. Ginny had a big problem with invasions of her personal space, but decided against offending Persephone

"Tell me what you liked about number two?" Persephone asked dreamily.

"He was mysterious and really clever," Ginny blushed, "And such a gentleman"

"Do you know who he is?" She asked.

Ginny frowned at her. It was an _odd _question. An odd question which led Ginny to believe she _did_ know him.

"I know he graduated from Hogwarts a year ahead of me and was in Slytherin," Ginny shrugged.

She vaguely wondered if she was supposed to have figured it out by now. The Slytherin didn't exactly leave a vast amount of clues to his identity.

"You're going to take the potion again," Persephone ordered as if she were Ginny's mother.

Ginny's face contorted. She had been so excited to finally see the Slytherin. This information seriously ruined her entire day and her upcoming date. _Why would she have to take the potion again? _ She was going to refuse. She had every right to.

"I don't want to!" Ginny adamantly protested, sounding a bit like a sick child who didn't want to take medicine.

"I'm going to have to insist." Again, she offered no explanation.

"Why?"

"Trust me, Ginny," Persephone lay a perfectly manicured hand on Ginny's forearm, which had been thrown carelessly on the table in protest, "I do this on a regular basis. You need to get to know him better."

Oddly enough, the touch calmed Ginny. It forced her to remember the level headed Thelma's previous words regarding her sister. Persephone was an expert. Of course, she was right. Ginny decided to trust Persephone once again, despite the fact that the slightly insane look in her eyes told Ginny that she was playing a game of Exploding Snap without a full deck.

* * *

I hope you liked it! :D I did a bit of research for this chapter. I named the move Harpy Heist because Harpies from Greek Mythology were known to stealing things. The alliteration made my inner English teacher happy. Holyhead Harpies players usually have a first or last name that starts with 'G' so I looked up some good names to fit on the team. Angelina is the only one without it, but I wanted to connect someone to Ginny personally. Who better than a former Gryffindor Chaser and her future SIL?

I swear, the next chapter is the date. Here's the next question:  
_Do you have a certain date when you sleep with someone you've been seeing? Like 1__st__, 4__th__, etc…  
_

Review, review, review! I love reading what you guys think!


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